Dad's Big Day

Let's not play coy, we all know what Daddy wants for Father's Day. He wants bacon and donuts! So let's give it to those dads who deserve nothing but the best!

This first recipe comes from cookingwithmykid.com it's easy and the donuts come out fluffy and oh so tasty. Sorry guys, this one isn't gluten free. 

Maple Cinnamon Donuts
1 cup all-purpose flour
3/4 teaspoon baking powder
3/4 teaspoon baking soda
Pinch salt
1 egg (lightly beaten)
1 6 oz container of non fat organic vanilla yogurt
1 tablespoon canola oil or melted coconut oil
2 teaspoons lemon juice
2 1/2 tablespoons real maple syrup
1 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon
1/2 cup sugar
2 tablespoons melted butter

Preheat the oven to 400 degrees. Toss the cinnamon and sugar together in a shallow dish and set aside. In a large bowl whisk together all the dry ingredients. In another bowl stir together oil, lemon juice, maple syrup, egg and yogurt.
Make a hole in the center of the dry ingredients and pour the wet ingredients into the hole. Gently fold everything together until combined. The batter will be thick.
Scoop batter into a piping bag or ziploc bag, snip a bottom corner with scissors, and squeeze out the batter evenly into a donut pan. You can find these pans at all food specialty stores and even Michaels Crafts. 
Bake for 10 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool for a few moments and then flip over onto a cooling rack while still warm.
Use a pastry brush the melted butter over your donuts and then dip each donut in the cinnamon sugar mixture to coat. Serve immediately after coating with cinnamon sugar mixture for best texture.


 Everyday Dad is going to shout when bacon is on the menu...don't disappoint them. I found this recipe on the egg-lands best carton, really! This one is easily adaptable to a gluten free diet.

Bacon Pecan French Toast
8 eggs, beaten
2 cups half-and-half cream
1 cup 2% milk
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
Dash salt
Dash cayenne pepper
1 loaf (1 pound) French bread, cut into 1-inch slices

Topping:

6 thick-sliced bacon strips, cooked and crumbled
1 cup butter, melted
1 cup packed brown sugar
1/2 cup chopped pecans, toasted
2 tablespoon corn syrup
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

Grease a 13×9-in. baking dish; set aside. 
In a large shallow bowl, whisk first 10 ingredients.
Dip each slice of bread into egg mixture and arrange slices into prepared dish.
Pour remaining egg mixture over top. Cover and refrigerate overnight. 
Remove from refrigerator 30 minutes before baking.
Preheat oven to 350°F.
In a small bowl, combine the topping ingredients and spread over top. 
Bake, uncovered for 40-45 minutes or until a knife inserted near center comes out clean.
Let stand 10 minutes before serving. Drizzle with syrup.

 

Baby Back Ribs and Baked Beans

2 racks baby back ribs, trimmed

Bourbon Sauce:

1/2 cup steak sauce (A1)
1/2 cup bourbon or use cider vinegar
2 tablespoons worcestershire sauce 

1/4 cup packed brown sugar
1 teaspoon regular or grainy Dijon mustard
2 pinches red pepper flakes or cayenne

1/4 cup ketchup

1-2 tablespoons liquid smoke
Kosher salt

Stir all ingredients together in a small bowl until sugar is dissolved. The sauce will keep in the refrigerator for up to 2 weeks.
Makes 1 1/2 cups

Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

Cut the racks of ribs in half crosswise. Rub the ribs, paying special attention to the meaty side, with 1/2 cup of the sauce. Lay the rib pieces meat side down in an 11 by 13-inch baking dish. The pieces will overlap slightly.

Cover the dish tightly with aluminum foil and bake until the meat begins to pull away from the ends of the bones and the ribs are just tender, about 1 hour. You can bake the ribs up to a day before and keep them refrigerated. Bring refrigerated ribs to room temperature about 1 hour before you grill them.

Preheat an outdoor grill to medium-high heat. Grill the ribs, brushing them with about half the remaining sauce, until they're crispy and heated through, about 10 minutes. Move the ribs around as they grill, the sugar in barbecue sauce makes it easy for them to burn. Let the ribs rest for 5 to 10 minutes before cutting them into 1 or 2-bone pieces. Put out the rest of the sauce for dipping or brush it over the ribs.

Slow Cooker Baked Beans
2 cans beans, I used navy beans

8 strips bacon

1/4-1/2 cup minced onions

1/4 cup ketchup

2 tablespoons molasses

1/4 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoon cider vinegar 

1 tablespoon Dijon or yellow mustard

1 tablespoon kosher salt, plus more as needed 

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper, plus more as needed

1/8 teaspoon ground cloves

Chop onion and bacon and place on the very bottom of the slow cooker. Mix all wet and dry ingredients, reserving the beans until everything is combined. Fold in beans carefully and pour into the cooker. Cook on low for 2 hours or high for 1. Depending on your slow cooker you'll have to gauge how long you'll need to cook. I use an old 60's crockpot and I place it on low for 1 hour.